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Technology
Utilizing the efficiency of a tool to improve effectivity is called technology. A tool is the extended arm of man. What the mind cannot teach the hand, it makes the tool perform. A lever is a simple tool like a pulley. They both lift great weights by a small power. The missing power is drawn from the subtle plane. *Technology is the material form of a mental thought. *An idea based on a scientific law yielding higher results is technology. *A new mental idea and the devising of an appropriate machinery make technology possible. *Technology is mental idea expressed in material devices. *Matter in expressing an idea releases greater vital energy. *To release higher volumes of energy the higher plane must express itself concretely in the lower plane. *Technology that is the result of human mental resources, releases further human resources, vital as well as mental. *Design is the medium through which mental idea unleashes material properties. *The mind in man evokes a response from the mind in metal through technology. *Ideas are technologies of spirit. *Technology restructures the existing productive organisation. *Technology connects us to the subtle plane even as education connects the individual mind to the universal mind. *Technique is organisation in matter. Raising technological efficiency Its efficiency is raised by *Altering the organisational design. *Raising the efficiency of the fuel wherever there is one. *The dexterous handling of the machine. *The perfect fitting of the parts, called seating. *By the right use of lubricants. *Adhering to the conditions of running given by the manufacturer. *The technological infrastructure of the work spot. *The psychological infrastructure of the company. *The harmony between the technological and the psychological infrastructure. *The extreme cleanliness of the machine. *Attention to the machine, treating it as a live object. Transfer of Technology Transfer of a technology to another country or climate where it has not been evolved is impossible. Before it is done, a technological culture must be created at the receiving end by asking them to go through the various stages of that technology’s development. In transfers of technology, the first requirement is to create facilities for operation and maintenance. The minds of the owner, engineers, and workmen are to be trained in this techno-culture apart from the technical training they are given. Any new technology or a new improvement in technology will be fully resented and resisted is a rule of technological development, unless it is one locally developed by the innovative talents of people. It is a superstition that men working on machines are better than those educated in colleges. What makes technology a success is the worship of machines, as if they are children. Components of technology ''The components of technology are energy, design, descent of the mind on matter, structure, coordination, ability of the part to fit into the whole.psd 111 * It is important for us to know the components of anything we study. That makes for creativity as it leads to improving the technology we use. Here we see ANALYSIS at the base of creativity. Philosophically creativity can also be at the foundation of Analysis. * Electricity is a known energy. As science knows its origin and function, science could move to electronics from electricity. That gave birth to computer which operates ever so many other machines. * Car was designed originally in such a fashion that it could be easily produced. Now it is the design that sells the car. We know the design relates or even regulates its speed. * Technology is best defined as the mental idea taking form in matter. Thought can be defined as the technology of Mind. Movement can be called the thought of Matter. *Mind descending on Matter is to create order in disorder. Introducing order in random movements of matter is to create power. Power enables us to enjoy a certain comfort and convenience. The Mind that thus generates power begins to grow quantitatively as well as qualitatively. Thus it can become productive. At higher levels of complexity Mind can be creative, creative of better technologies. * The present day world is a description of civilisation from the point of view of technology. * A wheel creates easy motion. With two wheels on an axle, it becomes a basic structure that creates a coach. * Structures have theories. It is at the basis of engineering. * Parts are a world in themselves. Parts come together to form a whole. When all the parts fit together to form a whole, what emerges is not in the plane of parts. What is thus created is not merely a machine, but a whole new plane of existence out of nowhere. It is mechanical creativity. *Indirectly it becomes social creativity. A machine changes the texture of social living. It creates a new way of social existence. Technology is socially creative. Subtle and causal planes 'Technology derives its higher technical advantage from the subtle, causal planes.psd 112 * The part and the whole belong to different planes. Movement and result belong to different planes. Result and enjoyment belong to different planes. Senses and Mind belong to different planes. Thinking and imagination belong to different planes. We only know of some planes physical, vital, mental, spiritual, subtle, and causal. * Time is a plane of its own. Material Time differs from vital Time from Mental and spiritual Time. * Space is another dimension. It too exists in varying fashions in varying planes. * Work can be in one plane. * Accomplishment exists in all planes whether it is visible or not. * When we say an ACT is a micro universe, we mean this. * Our physical existence can be taken as existing in the physical plane. But we know it includes all planes, even the plane of chemical reactions. * What we call technical advantage is the power from the other planes. * Actors in films enter politics and rule. They are poles apart. Through democracy popularity on the screen turns into political power. * Automatic machines act as if they think. * A simple devise draws enormous power, we do not know from where. A lorry weighing 20 or 30 tons can be moved one foot by a few men, on a smooth space even by one man. How do we explain? Physics says we are not moving the 30 tons, but only the frictional component of it which may be ½ a ton or even less. *A huge ship reaching the shore is pulled in place by a great many men. How is it done, and where does the power come from? It comes from the subtle, causal planes when our strategies and techniques relate our work to that plane. What are those strategies? What are those techniques? How do they act? Is there scope for studying them? If so, can we use those powers? * Today we use all these powers copiously but unconsciously. Knowledge of the theory will make our work conscious in every way. * The difference between unconscious and conscious acts is the action of a blind man and one who can see. * The Theory is a key to raise our physical, vital, conscious existence into mentally conscious living. Technology, Organization, Attitude ''What technology is to production as attitude to harmony.''psd 113 *Of all the vibrations in the atmosphere, harmony is the most productive. The highest creativity belongs to harmony. *Technology as we know has taken human productivity sky high. It has risen so high that in several fields one single company can meet all the demands of their product all over the country. *By technology we mean the mechanical, technical part. A more powerful part of technology is that of ORGANISATION. We are generally oblivious of it. * If techniques belong to matter, attitudes belong to the vital plane of human relationships. In the earliest village fairs which were at that time centres of civilisation, examine which are the attitudes that make it functional. :*Punctuality – an attitude to time. All must come on the same day, not on different days. :*Participants must have the attitude of bringing quality products, not anything they could produce. :*There should be trust at many levels for the fair to function. :*One must treat the other participants as his equal for the best results of the fair. *The significance of such attitudes can be seen when one of them is raised half an inch. The result will be phenomenal. Banks were born and served the nation when people trusted the banks with their money. It created a new era in social living. *One can analyse simple things like paper, hour, drawing water from well, etc. and see how far human kind has moved in each of these items because of Technology. * More important than that is how far the social infrastructure has advanced and lent its support to make that technological advancement possible. *It is worthwhile studying the Society from the point of view of changing Technology. * Human attitudes do not easily change. Luther, who broke away from the authoritarian Papacy, was more authoritarian than the Pope. * Without human attitudes, human organisations changing willingly to accommodate with the new Technology, it is likely to be shutdown as the steam engine in the Ist century. * Man is yet to discover the value of harmony. He is still enjoying the violence of terrorism. The general population should not feel a reward by the presence of terrorism. Technology improves the result ''The first aim of technology is to raise the quantity and quality of the result.''psd 114 * Technology does this by conquering space and time. * Man has more energy than is needed for survival. The excess energy needs expression. * Characters are physical, vital, mental or spiritual. Utilisation of excess energy depends upon what type of character one is. * Mental characters think. The direction of thinking and the choice of the field depend upon, :*The amount of excess energy. :*Where – Mind, vital, body – that excess is located. :*Social climate -- whether it is seeking freedom or conformity; progress or preservation, etc. :*Social opportunities to successfully express that energy. :*Whether the person is one who wants to lead, or work or think, in a team or individually, etc. * One of those directions is to do the work better. Doing the work better is possible by new methods, fresh tools, higher understanding, etc. Personally it can be better done by organisation, cooperation, greater idealistic interest, etc. * If such pressures from external society are not there, the energy turns to other avenues. Should it turn towards Technology, it first explores all existing possibilities. Next it thinks of improving the tool or creating a new tool. At this stage the society is in the phase of creative technology. * Labour shortage gives such pressure to devise labour saving machines. * Shortage or abundance of raw material has different responses from the population. * General level of education does have a direct impact on this. * Increasing the quantity of the result is the very first aim. Making the windmill saw timber in Holland raised the output 15 times with the result Holland is in the front of maritime nations. * Quality comes next. The history of an exact chronometer explains that. The need in sea voyages of an exact chronometer which later determined longitude and latitudes made the British king offer a price. The exigencies of war, the need to transport food made Napoleon offer a money reward to create a preservative technology. *Technological improvement is the direct result of Man’s urge to be better than the past. * Availability of metals, alloys, processes to extract the metal, man’s willingness to adventure, social need, the climate of the Mind, and social infrastructures decide what technologies are invented. Higher technology uses less energypsd 115 * As Technology was developing, Money too became a factor of social production. Money was always a scarce resource. So, the production was evaluated in terms of cost. * In the beginning when a work that was not possible till then was possible, it did not matter how much energy was consumed. As days pass, Man becomes concerned by the amount of energy expended on a work. * Doing more work for less energy was always a civilising urge. It is a symptom of humanity exercising Mind. * Civilisation is a refined way of living in greater comfort and higher convenience. * Of course there are exceptions at all times. Paddy that needs 72 acre inch of water for the optimum yield of a high quality came to be cultivated in deltas with 720 acre inch of water as it became a matter of pride to use copious water. Thus paddy fields came to be called fields of fish. * Technology is developed not only by those who think mechanically but by those who are subtly perceptive of the release of energy by the varying use of tools. * Man seeks to use less energy wherever possible. :*Primarily for the joy of the process. :*Secondarily for the saving of energy. :*It has a non-technological social dimension of popularity. :*In the measure these innovations are done collectively, far greater results issue. * Innovation is individual. Implementation is collective. * In the initial stages, Man does not exhibit the capacity to create collectively. For that to arise in the society, the technology needs to rise to complexity as the US space programme launched by President Kennedy. * Edison worked all by himself. * Less energy is less cost and is a social incentive. It is technologically rewarding. All innovations, it is true, are done primarily for self-satisfaction. Technology creates energy ''Creative technology creates fresh energy in vast quantities.''psd 116 *Functional, productive, creative is a classification in general. ::That which fulfils its function is functional. ::In its functioning if it produces more results, it is productive. ::If its productivity leads to further new creations, it is creative. ::Man writes a book by hand with a pen. The pen is functional. ::Printing that makes writing the book easier, also produces great quantities of the book. ::Hence printing is a productive technology. ::Printing a newspaper creates an avenue for advertisement to sell goods wholly unconnected with the function of printing. This is creative Technology. *Technologies generally become creative when two or more come together, as the computer and telecommunications generated the Internet and Worldwide web. ::Banks started to serve commerce. ::When the national goals are to be served by commercial banks, we see the burst of activities are several hundred fold apart from releasing energy into the economy in all possible directions. ::Shipping is functional when it transports. ::Transporting goods for trade, shipping is productive for the nation. ::Trade through shipping leading to the founding of an empire of shipping, for no fault of itself, becomes creative. ::A Technology can thus indirectly become creative in a social context. ::A Technology that creates new technology by virtue of its being a Technology is creative on its own accord. * Such creativity is possible by a combination of more factors than one in various ways. ::Education is directly education. ::When it produces intelligentsia to rule the country, it is socially creative. ::Education that leads Copernicus to think becomes mentally creative. ::The productive technology of printing making the Bible available to millions of people converts half the European states to Protestantism. Here Technology is religiously creative. ::To this day Protestant nations are more prosperous than Catholic countries which is an unseen social consequence. * Productivity is to produce more of the same we now have for some time. Creativity is not in quantity but in quality, often that which was not there now. ::Productivity is by innovation. ::Creativity is either by innovation or by the combination of existing technological circumstances or by both. ::To separate functional, productive, creative technologies is helpful in studying Technology. ::Technology is mechanical. It is enriched by psychological organisation in so many possible ways. Technology and Civilization ''Technology is a symbolic index of man’s civilisation.''psd 117 * The indices of civilisation are more than one. They can also be somewhat classified. ::One of them is Technological symbols. ::The outstanding index is that of culture of human values. ::Prosperity is a material index. ::Law and order is an organisational indication. ::The level of education is the general index of mental development. ::Immortal literature is the index of the cultural maturity of the social mind. ::Hospitality, sense of honour, patriotism, and human goodness are other social indices. ::Architecture is a material index of a mentally prolific civilisation. * It is one thing to consider Technology as an index of civilisation yet it is another to declare that Technology is a symbolic index. ::Symbolism indicates the presence of imagination. ::Imagination is a faculty that visualises the right potentials of the future so as to make :it a present reality. ::Memory records facts. ::Thinking is to create a mental result by the coming together of facts. ::Memory and thinking deal with the past. ::Imagination deals with the possibilities of the future. ::Enthusiasm is a burst of energy; excitement is its urge. ::Expansiveness is that of the soul in Mind widening to receive the environment. ::Inspiration is the expansive thought suggested by a possibility of imagination. ::To evaluate a civilisation by technology is apparently a material evaluation of its prosperity. ::The history of a technology, the history of symbolism in a civilisation, its own history of how it was civilised will reveal the significance of such an evaluation. ::One day there will emerge scales, measurements, tools, rules for such evaluation. ::Then civilisations in the bar of history of existence will stand measured and vindicated as to their original inner worth in their core. * As elsewhere, one can see a hundred aspects in one act of society. ::Jane Austen writes in 1800 that out of the millions of pieces of mail the British Post Office handled since its inception, not one was lost. ::The prompt delivery of letters in Britain is a byword of efficiency. What does it show? The literacy, communicativeness, capacity to function in an organised way individually and collectively, pride of patriotism, respect for rules and institutions, the respect in which another man is held, the pervading sense of political, social freedom, the extent to which human perfection can rise even in primitive circumstances and much more are seen in this one fact. Subtle energy, Causal accomplishment ''In a higher technology energy comes out of the subtle plane, the accomplishment from the causal plane.''psd 118 * In a work there are several parts. If some parts are missing no result will come. If all parts are present can we assure ourselves of the result? That which brings about the result is invisible. In philosophy it is called the causal factor, the law by which what is conceived inside in Time is expressed outside in space. The same work under the same conditions is completed by one in a few years and another in a few months. What brings about the difference? It is the personal interest, energy, attitude and the outside encouragement one receives. We call it subtle. * In a work-- ::The physical components constitute the GROSS plane. ::The components of energy, interest, and attitude are in the subtle plane. ::The accomplishment of the work is determined by the WILL of the doer and the WILL of the environment. It is the causal factor or causal plane. *Technology that draws from the subtle plane is powerful. Technology that draws from the causal plane is effective. In other words when people are interested the subtle forces enter. When people are determined, the causal forces begin playing. ::Enthusiasm energises but does not ensure the result. ::Commitment to the goal, consummates. * How do technologies draw energy from the subtle, causal planes? When the interests of the participants are touched the subtle plane emerges. When the project wants to achieve what the local population longs for the causal forces take care of it. These aspects are less seen in simple works though they are present. The higher the Technology, the more complex it is. There the subtle forces are of greater significance. The consummation of such a project will be awaited by a wider population. Hence it is more evident in the higher technologies. * Theoretically the subtle and causal planes are present in all works. ::In a simple assignment of serving tea to a guest, the presence of the subtle forces readily and pleasantly and courteously deliver the tea. ::The causal forces make the tea so delicious that it becomes an unforgettable event. :Then the subtle and causal planes appear entirely psychological. ::Not necessarily. Even the physical components, the way they combine the technology used will be causal to bring about a causal result. ::In a controversial wedding at a church where the outcome is uncertain, if the Bishop replaces the priest, all uncertainties will disappear. Nine Levels ''The capacity to move from one of the Nine Levels (physical, vital, mental in subtle, causal planes) to the next higher plane creates a new technology.''psd 119 * Progress occurs when society moves one step. ::This involves a positive change in every component of it. ::A good quantity of energy is consumed for this purpose. ::This is made possible by the aspiration of the Society. ::Corresponding changes come over in all the Nine Levels to manage this change. ::The present equilibrium has to be given up and restored at one level higher. ::We see in the society such a change demands in Man appropriate changes in dress, speech, manners, transport, expenses, etc. (A neo rich man who spends lavishly must restrain his spending by moving one step up). * In theory, ONE such move changes everything a little. ::There are instances where without a change in technology one cannot move up. ::And this acquiring a new technology is across the board which means all the technology he uses undergoes a slight change. ::Society can often move several steps without changing the technology. ::Railways that came around 1840 remained railways for 100 years or more. Of course it changed from coal to diesel to electricity. ::Around the post war period the educational technology expanded into the audio-visual. ::We know there were silent films and later sound was introduced. ::It is true changing technology changes the society and vice versa. * Society is always pregnant with minor or major changes. ::It changes horizontally as well as vertically alternately. ::Linguists know the language has constantly changed periodically. ::It starts with the dialect, becomes slang, and is codified by grammar as a prose acceptable in schools, courts and business. ::Words change their spelling. Their idiomatic usage improves. ::New words are coined or imported from other languages. ::Even today a considerable portion of our language is from the battlefield. * Any new technology supplies its jargon to all other walks of Life. ::Similarly the increasing energy, the demands of higher production, the greater mobility of the population, the new equation of power between the ruler and the ruled, the greater comfort the population enjoys, etc. also demand a New Technology. ::Iron became steel. Later stainless steel came, though basically all are iron in content. ::In clothing wool in Europe admitted cotton when Europeans went to Asia. Returning home they reported that ‘their wool grows on trees’ referring to cotton. ::Wool and linen admitted cotton which yielded place to nylon and polyester. *Technology is the texture of living. ::To the mechanically-minded person, Technology is as absorbing as poetry to the poet. ::As the vital takes the physical sensation to the mind to create thought to control the body, Technology brings Mind to Matter to enrich the style of living. Complex Technology ''Technologies of the same level of several planes coming together for work creates a complex technology.''psd 120 * One significant principle of ORGANISATION is when a new one is born it gradually integrates with all existing organisations. :*Such points of contact are socially creative. :*Points of contact are powerful gates for stimulation. :*Cultures are social organisations. :*Two cultures coming together is a moment of cultural renaissance for both the cultures. Seed coming into contact with the soil sprouts in conducive conditions. :*Two technologies meeting can stimulate each other to create a higher technology. *Contact is creative. :*(Bombay) Mumbai pays 50% of India’s income tax. This is so because she is a port. The conducive condition for a natural harbour in Mumbai helped trade and business flourish to this extent. It happened on the arrival of the British. '''Port + Trade = Prosperity :*Technology in its functioning comes into contact with organisation, institution, culture, Money, education and every other aspect of society. At most points the contact is functional, at others it is productive, and at a few places it is creative, creative of higher results, creative of organisation, creative of complex technology. The basic principle here is Two things coming into live contact make creativity possible. *Technology is one arm of the society. It exists at various levels. Its productivity or creativity depends upon the various levels from which technologies meet. Simple technologies from various planes meeting can create complex ones. :*Printing and steam engine coming together created the rotary printer 100 years ago, printing 10,000 or 20,000 copies per hour. :*An ATM machine in banks energises business. It activates the circulation of currency. Automatic machines have been known for a long time. Currency is a financial technology. Both coming together activate business, retail, education, etc. Indirectly it laid the foundation for VISA, a very complex technology in finance. :*Modern life is full of examples for these principles. Stock Exchange is stimulated by every change in Technology anywhere, even the courier or cell phone. Creative Technologies ''Technology of various levels coming together gives birth to creative technologies.psd 121 The above statement is one basic rule of life applied to Technology. *Powers of life begin as units in various facets. Their interaction gives place to complex units which we call opinion, culture, law, government, attitude as the context demands. *Here we say technology matures into complex technologies. :*Those who are very familiar with the construction of the computer can see this phenomenon in the web and can trace it back through internet, circuit, electronic transmission down to the first step of computing. :*The postal system today is served by the railways, planes, buses, etc. :*The technology of railways can be traced through stream, locomotion, transmission of power from one dimension to another dimension, and may possibly go back to the invention of steel, furnace and wheels. This is one line of progress. *Coordination is a concept as old as society. :*Still we see it is not born between two sectors like Press and Government. :*Going into any big company one can see coordination in many functions, but will wonder it is missing in essential areas. :*The postal system could not have been born without coordination between umpteen agencies. *When two technologies meet, a better one is born. :*Also two technologies can give birth to an unknown technology or even an inconceivable result that is the benefit. :*Computer and telecommunication met to create the Internet. :*Akbar’s minister conveyed the message of the birth of a child a hundred miles away in a few minutes by the beat of drums placed on tall towers. Sound converted into prearranged symbols creates a new opportunity of fast communication. :*Before the electric telegraph came, telegraph existed operated by semaphores and sent messages at a speed of 120 mph. Here the tall tower, telescope, a symbolic notation of letters and perhaps sound by a bell combined to create a telegraph. *Higher technology, complex technologies are different from creative technology. :*Various technologies can meet to create a higher technology, more of the existing one at a higher level, as the car is a higher technology to the coach. :*It can also create complex technology as the newspaper is a product of motor, printing, collection of news, editing, distribution, advertisement, etc. :*Creative technology can be creative of technology as the Internet is born out of two others or creative of social advancement such as communication. * Such creativity can reach any department of social life. :*It will be funny if we think that the technologies of walking and speaking together have created the social institution of the messenger. But it is true. More than being true, it laid the foundation for the present society and government. :*Technologies exist at the mechanical level which is apparent. :*Technologies in the social field are not equally apparent. :*A surgical operation analysed from this point of view will be a miniature world abridging in its service innumerable technologies. ::To say the least it is a SOCIAL MARVEL. '''Back to' #[[Principles of social development|'Index of Principles']] #'Instruments of development' References ---- Category:Definition Category:Principles of Management Category:Principles of Social Development http://server3.web-stat.com/4/humanscience.gif [http://www.web-stat.com/checkstats1.htm H]